Excluded volume effect enhances the homology pairing of model chromosomes

TL;DR

This study uses a polymer model and Brownian dynamics simulations to show that excluded volume effects and nuclear shape dynamics promote homologous chromosome pairing during meiosis in S. pombe.

Contribution

It demonstrates how excluded volume effects and nuclear shape transitions enhance homologous chromosome pairing in a simplified polymer model.

Findings

Excluded volume effects promote homologous pairing.

Nuclear shape dynamics facilitate chromosome pairing.

Model results align with biological observations.

Abstract

To investigate the structural dynamics of the homology pairing of polymers, we mod- eled the scenario of homologous chromosome pairings during meiosis in Schizosaccharomyces pombe, one of the simplest model organisms of eukaryotes. We consider a simple model consist- ing of pairs of homologous polymers with the same structures that are confined in a cylindrical container, which represents the local parts of chromosomes contained in an elongated nucleus of S. pombe. Brownian dynamics simulations of this model showed that the excluded volume effects among non-homological chromosomes and the transitional dynamics of nuclear shape serve to enhance the pairing of homologous chromosomes.